Progressive rocker



May 9, 1933- H. H. MARTIN PROGRESSIVE ROCKER Filed May 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ewan: m

May 9, 1933. H. H. MARTIN PROGRESSIVE ROCKER Filed May 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvanron V777M2L1 wim pdm rromus s Him-F 25 v Patented May 9,1933

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY H. MARTIN, OF SYRACUSENEW YORK PIRO GRESSIVE ROCKER Application filed. May 18, 1931. Serial No. 538,243.

This invention relates to a progressive a portion-of the seat-supporting element 'berocker, preferably of the hobby horse type, ing'broken away in Figure 2. adapted tobe used more particu arly by small Figures 4, and 6 are transverse vertical children for amusement and exercise, and insectional views taken respectively in the ,5 volves the use of a platform rocker adapted planes of lines L4L ,'5-5 and 66, Figure 3, 5,0

to rock upon a floor or other flat support, and the double seat-supporting element being a seat or saddle-supporting element in imipartially shown by dotted lines'in Figures "5 tation of a horse or other animal having rear and 6. legs pivoted to the platform to rock verti: (Figure .7 is atop plan of the same platform cally, and front legs movable vertically shoWnin Figure 1 having a double seat-sup- 55 through an opening or openings in the platporting element mounted thereon, 7

form into and out of engagement with the Figure 8 is a transverse vertical sectional floor or other supporting surface to impart view taken in the plane of line 88, Figrocking movement to saidelement relatively ure 7.

: to the platform as the latter is rocked in re- As illustrated, this device comprises a Sub 60 verse directions, together with suitable means stantially flat rectangular platform 1 eloncarried by the platform for engaging said gated in one direction and provided along its surface and causing intermittent forward Opposite longitudinal edges with pendant movement of the entire device during the fianges2having downwardly convexed circurocking movement of the platform. lar edges 3 of relatively long but equal radii 5 The main object is to provide a light strong adapted to rest upon the floor or other flat and durable device of this character which support to enable the platform to be rocked may be used by children of widely varying forwardlyand rearwardly, the oppositeends ages with a greater degree of safety and a of the flanges being provided with rubber wider range of exercise than has heretofore stops 0r buffers 4 for engaging the floor and 70 been ra tis d, limiting the rocking movements of the "plat- Another object is to permit the use of seatform- V supporting members of varying capacity The platform 1 with'its flanges 2 constitute upon th ame platform, What may be termed a platform rocker in A further object is to provide a novel con- Which the platform is provided with. a plustruction of feed rollers by which the entire rality 0f,,in this instancefive, lengthwise'bars device with the user thereon will be auto- 5 and 6 arranged in transversely spaced relamatically progressed along the floor with a time toformintervening lengthwiseslots ,7 more uniform gliding motion than has hereextending the major vporti n O l the length tofore been practised. of the platform vbut closed at both ends by 30 Other objectsand uses relating to specific spacing blocks 8. parts of the device will be brought out in The entral bar 6 isvpr vi V l the following description. slots or-openings9 and9uin longitudinally I the drawings:- a spaced relation for receiving portionsof a 40 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pro- Sing1eSeat-Supp0rting element 10 which, in 35 gressive rocker equipped with a single seatis instance, s ein imitation ofahorse supporting element. having front and rear legs 11 and '12.

Figures 2 and 3 are enlarged longitudinal The rear legs 12 extend into or through vertical sectional views taken respectively in the opening .9" and are pivoted ,to the side the planes of lines 22, and 8-3,Figure 1, Walls ofsaid opening,or.rather towthe central bar 6, by means of a pivotal bolt 13 to permit relative vertical rocking movement of the platform 1 and element 10.

The front legs of the seat-supporting element 10 are movable vertically in the opening 9 as the platform 1 and element are rocked vertically relatively to each other, the lower end of the legs 11 being provided with extension sections 14 connected thereto by a pivotal bolt 15, and havin its lower end provided with a roller 16 adapted to engage the floor upon which the platform rocker is mounted.

The extension 14 of the front legs 11 is adjustable forwardly and rearwardly about the axis of the pivotal bolt 15 tovary the height of the member 10 above the floor'line, and is held in its adjusted position by the tightening of the pivotal bolt 15 aided by the serrations 17 around the axis of the pivot to be engaged by corresponding serrations on the upper end of the extension 14, as shown more clearly in Figures 3 and 4.

The lower and upper ends of the extension 1 1 are preferably bifurcated for receiving respec'tivelythe lowerend ofthe legs 11 and roller 16, thereby affording relatively long bearings for the extension and roller.

The rear leg 12 of the'seatsupporting element 10 is also adjustable vertically relatively to the (platform and for this purpose is provided with a plurality of bolt openings 18, one above the other, any one of which is i adapted. to receive the pivotal bolt 18.

The main body of the seat-supporting element 10 is disposed ina plane some distance above the platform 1 and is provided with a seat or saddle 19 adapted to be occupied by the user with the feet resting upon the platform. I

The front and rear legs of the seat-supporting member 10 are located respectively at the front and at the rear of the vertical plane of the apex of the rocker faces 3 so that the weight or pressure of the rider may be thrown forwardly or rearwardly of said vertical plane for rocking the platform in reverse directions.

. That is, the pressure of the feet of the rider upon the front end of the platform serves to rock said platform forwardly and downwardly, while the rearward movement of the body of the rider throws the weight upon the rear portion of the platform to rock'the latter rearwardly and downwardly, these operations being repeated for rocking the platformin reverse directions.

The rocker flanges 2 are provided intermediate their ends with longitudinal elongated slots 20 open at the bottom for receiving like pawls or rollers 21 which are eccentrically pivoted by bolts 22 to the opposite walls of their respective slots and therefore to the flanges 2 between the front leg 11 and vertical plane of the seat 19 and apex of the The major portions of these pawls 21 are circular in side elevation and are provided with corresponding circular shoes 23 of leather or equivalent material adapted to ride upon a floor surface A for frictional contact therewith, the pivots 22 being located in planes above and at the front of the centers of gravity of the pawls to allow the latter to swing downwardly and forwardly when the platform is rocked rearwardly and downwardly.

This rearward and downward movement causes the lower edges of the pawls to contact with the supporting surface -A more or less directly under the pivots 22 and beyond the adjacent portions of the rocker edges 3 so that when the front end of the platform is rocked downwardly the lower edges of the pawls will fulcrum upon the supporting surface A, thereby causing the pivotal bolts 22 and upper portions of the pawls 21 to be carried forwardly, resulting in a forward feeding movement of the platform and seatsupporting member 10 carried thereby.

' During this operation the riders feet engaging the front end of the platform will, of course, move downwardly giving the rider the sensation of the upward movement of the member 10, while at the same time the front leg of the member 10 carrying the roller 16 will ride a corresponding distance along the support A, it being understood that the platform 1 will at all times be free to rock about the pivotal connection 13 with the member 10.

The pawls 21 are provided with rearward- 1y projecting weighted extensions 24 to facilitate the downward and forward rocking movement thereof when the platform is tilted rearwardly and downwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2.

It is now clear that after the platform has been rock-ed rearwardly and downwardly followed by its forward and downward movement, the engagement of the lower edges of the pawls with the supporting surface -A willvcause the platform and all parts carried thereby to be moved forwardly to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2.

v Suitable means is provided for adjusting the pivots 22 forwardly and rearwardly to different positions and for this purpose the opposite Walls of the slots are provided with extra bolt holes 22 so that both of the pivots may be placed therein for varying the disthe rear hole of the other side, the reverse rocking movement of the device will cause the latter to travel in a more or less circular path along the floor.

Suitable means is provided for limiting the downward and forward swinging movement of the pawls 21 when the latter are pivoted at one or the other of the holes 22 and 22, and for this purpose the opposite walls of the slots 20 are provided with registering apertures 26 for receiving stop pins 27 which are located. in the path of movement of the corresponding extensions 24 to be engaged thereby as the pawls are rocked downwardly and forwardly, it being understood that when the pawls are pivoted in the front holes 22 the pins 27 will be inserted in the front holes 26, and that when the pivotal pins 22 are inserted in the rear holes 22 the stop pins 27 will be inserted in the rear holes 26.

The seat 19 and apex of the rocker face 3 are nearly in the same vertical plane approximately midway between the legs 11 and 12, as shown in Figure 3 and, therefore, the predominance of weight of the parts 10 or 10, will be at the rear of said plane tending to rock the rear end of the platform 1 downwardly, but this tendency may, of course, be resisted by downward pressure of the feet of the rider upon the front end of the platform.

It therefore follows that by relieving the downward pressure of the feet of the rider upon the front end of the platform aided by the rearward swing of the body of the rider upon the seat, the platform 1 will automatically rock rearwardly and downwardly, thereby allowing the eccentric member 21 to rock downwardly and forwardly.

Then if the rider throws his body forwardly and at the same time presses the front end of the platform 1 downwardly by foot pressure, the previously changed position of the member 21 on the floor will cause the entire device to move forwardly a limited distance or until the member 21 again assumes its nor mal relation to the rocker surface 3.

In Figures 7 and 8 are shown a pair of the seat-supporting members 10 connected by a seat 19, the members 10 being supported in the outer slots 7 of the platform by means of the pivotalpins 13 closely adjacent the inner faces of the flanges 2 as shown more clearly in Figure 8. Otherwise the construction is similar to that previously described, with the exception that the extensions as 14 are adjustably mounted upon the front legs of both of the members 10. l

The opposite ends of the bars 6 and spacing blocks 8 are secured together by transverse bolts 28 to form a substantially unitary platform, the outer side bars 6 being secured by screws 29 or equivalent fastening means to the upper edges of the adjacent rocker 2 so that the entire platform rocker constitutes a rigid (structure.

L Operation 1 The rider sitting upon the seat 19 or 19 with the feet resting upon the front portion of the platform 1 first releases his downward foot pressure upon the front end of the platform 1, and at the same time throws his body rearwardly to cause the platform to tilt rearwardly and downwardly, thereby, raising the lower edges of the front portions of the rockers, above the floor line +-A, and allowing the pawls 21 to rock downwardly and forwardly into engagement with the floor below and in front of the apex of the raised front portions of the rockers.

The rider then throws his body forwardly pressing his feet upon the front end of the platform to tilt the latter forwardly and downwardly about the fulcrum bearing be tween the lower edges of the pawls 21 and floor A which throws the weight of the entire device upon the pivot 22 and causes the.

lower edges of the pawls to roll forwardly upon the floor surface A resulting in a forward movement of the entire device with the rider thereon.

By repeating these backward and forward rocking operations the device is intermittingly moved forwardly at each downward and forward tilting movement so that the rider experiences thesensation of rocking motion in addition to the progressive forward motion.

The pivotal pin 13 connecting the seat-supporting member 10 with the platform is removable endwise which permits the single member 10 to be used in the manner shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive or, this single member may be removed and the double seat support 10 placed in operative position, as shown by full lines in Figures 7 and 8, and by dotted lines in Figures 5 and 6, it being understood that the two members 10 and 10 be furnished with the same platform and that children of Widely varying ages.

The construction shown is particularly simple, durable and efficient, but obviously various changes may be made in the detail construction without departing from the spirit of the invention;

What I claim is 1. The combination with a platform rocker adapted to rock upon a floor, a seat-supporting member having one end pivoted to one end of the platform and its other end.movable through an opening in the other end of the platform and adapted to rest upon the floor, a floor-engaging roller eccentrically pivoted to the rocker between the pivot and floor-engaging portion of the seat-supporting member to rock in a direction opposite to the direction of rocking movement of the plateither may be used with perfect safety by form for moving the rocker along the floor when the direction of rocking movement of the platform is reversed.

. 2. A progressive rocker as in claim 1 in which the floor-engaging portion of the seatsupporting member is free to rotate.

3. A progressive rocker as in claim 1 in which the seat and apex ofthe rocker are disposed in approximately the same vertical In witness whereof I have hereuhto set my hand this 9th day of May 1931. V HARRY LIABTIN. 

